9.4.1.13: Maintenance and Display of Inspection Reports

Early care and education programs should keep and display, in one central area, current copies of inspection reports required by the state licensing office. These documents may include the following:

• Licensing/registration reports
• Fire inspection reports
• Sanitation inspection reports
• Building code inspection reports
• Plumbing, gas, and electrical inspection reports
• Termite and other insect inspection reports
• Zoning approval
• Results of all water tests
• Evacuation and shelter-in-place drill records
• Accreditation certificates and quality rating scores if applicable
• Reports of any legal actions; proof that all required corrections have been made
• Test results for lead in water, paint, or soil; and lead hazard inspection reports
• After any lead hazard control work is done, risk assessor letters verifying that sufficient actions were taken to control or permanently remove lead hazards
• Insurance records
• Playground inspection reports, equipment inspection/maintenance records and reports

• Child care health consultant’s assessment reports that are not about any specific children

RATIONALE

Early care and education program staff, families, consultants, and visitors should have easy and central access to information about the evaluation and regulatory compliance requirements of the program. Documentation should be clear, consistent, and transparent to promote education, trust, and safety in program performance and activities.¹

COMMENTS

Documentation provides information regarding the quality improvement efforts of the program and can help in sharing information about the health and safety steps taken to maintain a safe program. For example, keeping records Keeping records of all lead tests for paint, soil, and water; inspections; and remediation work will help early care and education programs keep a safe and healthy environment for children and staff. If lead is found in the interior or exterior paint, water, or soil, a plan must be made to reduce any hazards that are found.2 The program director will need to tell parents and staff why the lead hazard control work is needed. When work is done, the director should display a letter from the risk assessor, verifying that sufficient actions were taken to control or permanently remove lead hazards.

See Caring for Our Children Standard 5.2.9.13 for details on testing for and remediating lead hazards, including interim controls and lead abatement. Lead-related hazards on porches, stair railings, and handrails are discussed in 5.7.0.7, Structure Maintenance. 

For more information on lead exposures
• EPA’s Protect Your Family from Sources of Lead
• EPA’s 3Ts for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools and Child Care Facilities

TYPE OF FACILITY

Center, Early Head Start, Head Start, Large Family Child Care Home, Small Family Child Care Home

RELATED STANDARDS

5.2.6.2 Testing of Drinking Water Not From Public System
5.2.6.3 Testing for Lead and Copper Levels in Drinking Water
5.2.6.4 Water Test Results
5.2.6.5 Emergency Safe Drinking Water and Bottled Water
5.2.9.13 Testing for and Remediating Lead Hazards
9.2.4.3 Disaster Planning, Training, and Communication
9.2.4.4 Written Plan for Seasonal and Pandemic Influenza
9.2.4.5 Emergency and Evacuation Drills Policy
9.2.6.2 Reports of Annual Audits/Monthly Maintenance Checks of Play Areas and Equipment
9.4.1.1 Facility Insurance Coverage
9.4.1.16 Evacuation and Shelter-In-Place Drill Record

REFERENCES

1. National Association for Regulatory Administration. Best practices for human care and regulatory agencies. National Association for Regulatory Administration Web site. Last reviewed January 2017. Accessed May 5, 2022. https://www.naralicensing.org/assets/docs/Publications/BestPractices/nara%20best%20practices%20final.pdf
   
2. Children’s Environmental Health Network, National Center for Health Housing, National Association for Family Child Care. Lead-safe toolkit for home-based child care. National Center for Healthy Housing Web site. Accessed June 8, 2022. https://nchh.org/tools-and-data/technical-assistance/protecting-children-from-lead-exposures-in-child-care/hbcc-toolkit/ 
   

NOTES

Standard last updated on 09/23/2022.